Isla Board Game Review

Jim Gamer
Jun 23
9 min read

Isla

WBG Score: 8.5 (Solo) 6.5 (Multiplayer) /10

Player Count 1-5

You’ll like this if you like: Exploring islands based on dice rolls!

This is a free review copy of the game. See our review policy here.

I originally previewed this game in its prototype form and was a big fan, particularly of the solo mode. You can read that here. I now have the final version and have been eagerly exploring the Island once again. The game works quite different in multiplayer to solo, and I have tried both again. Both will be covered here, but I will focus more on the solo game, as that is where I feel this game excels. So, with that said, let's get it to the table and see how this game plays.

How To Set Up Isla Board Game

Give each player a map sheet. There are two sides, so be sure that each player is using the same side. For your first few games, it is recommended to use the front side. Then give each player a pen or pencil, and the tokens required per player (four Flora, three Fauna, two Fossil, one rest, one Boulder, and five Exhaustion tokens), and give one player the first player card. Each player then places their tokens face down onto the map sheet. Then, flip them all over. Each player then has the choice to swap over two tokens, but that's it, and never again in the game! Then place the five Exhaustion tokens that represent the five dice in the spaces provided at the bottom of the map. Place out all the dice by them. Then, take the research cards, shuffle them, and deal out four cards into a line. Place the rest in a face-down pile next to these. Each player will now place their meeple on the start spot on the bottom left of the map, or next to the port on the other side.

Then, for a solo game, take one of the Keeper cards, and place this face up in front of you. Place the corresponding Keeper meeple on the starting spot shown for this Keeper on its card. Place your own meeple on the start spot on the bottom left of the map, or next to the port on the other side.

For a multiplayer game, take the threat cards, shuffle them up and place them face down in a pile. You are now ready to play!

How To Play Isla Board Game

Players will now run through six steps, seven for the solo mode. Let's go through them one-by-one.

Planning phase. Here each player must declare if they choose to Rest, Explore, or Research this phase. More on what they all mean shortly.
Dice Roll Phase. Here, the first player will roll the five dice. In a multiplayer game, if you roll any ones, then you must resolve a Threat card. If you roll more than one die that shows a single pip, you still only resolve a single Threat card. This is a nice development from the early prototype! To resolve a Threat card, draw the top card from the Threat pile and follow the effect shown. If you cannot carry out the instruction, simply discard it. If you draw a card with the same name as a Threat card already in your possession, discard it. Otherwise, do what it says and keep it by you. Only the first person this round resolves the Threat card.
Rest Phase. Here, if anyone chooses to rest, they will mark off the Rest box on their player sheet, and then their turn this round ends. But they can now refresh the leftmost exhausted dice token, ready to be used again the next round. You can normally only rest once per game, but you can gain one more Rest token as you play if you move over the space the rest token is randomly placed during set up.
Explore Phase. This is the main action in the game. If you choose to Explore, you will pick one of the dice rolled this round by the first player and move that many spaces on the board. At the start, you can choose any die you like from the five rolled. But as you use each die, you must move the exhausted token for the die you used. You cannot use this colour die again until that particular exhausted token becomes unexhausted. This is done mainly by moving over the symbol that represents this die's colour on the board. As you move on the board, you will start at the bottom left space and move your meeple the shown number of spaces on your chosen die. You can move orthogonally in any direction. The idea of the game is to cover as many spaces on the map as possible, reach the exit first, and collect as many Flora and Fauna tokens as possible in order to complete your research goals. You cannot go back over any space you have already visited, and if you ever block yourself in, your game is over. As you move, un-exhaust any die for die symbols that you move over, and claim any tokens you pass over. Moving them into your play area. If you move over a symbol to un-exhaust a die that is not ye t exhausted, you simply waste that power. So don't do it!
Research phase. If you choose to research, you can now discard previously obtained research tokens that match any of the current four face-up research cards. You can now take that card, and this will score you the shown points on the card at the end of the game.
In solo mode, you will now carry out the Keeper phase. Flip over the top card from the research deck and check the symbol shown on the bottom left of the card. This will show a one, two, or three. Then check the Keeper card you have in play this game, and carry out the action as represented by the one, two, three or blank symbol revealed this turn. This will mostly move the Keeper token from its starting position closer to you. If the Keeper ever reaches your space, it's game over.
Finally, prepare for the final round. This will be the sixth phase in multiplayer mode. Discard the rightmost Research card, draw a new one, and place it into the leftmost space. Then move the first player card to the next player if you have more than one player playing.

Continue with rounds like this until all players have either exited the island or become lost on the island. This can happen by trapping yourself with no path to explore due to turning in on yourself, running out of available dice to use by not un-exhausting the dice, or, in the solo player mode, by being caught by the Keeper.

In multiplayer mode, note that players can end their game in different rounds, but the first to exit will gain a bonus of five, and the second, a bonus of three. In the solo game, you simply gain the five points.

Then work out the bonus points gained from the completed research cards you have in front of you. Add these to the points gained or lost from the Threat cards you faced. You then gain one point for each Threat card you faced in the game. Remember, there are no Threat cards in the solo game. Then you gain points for any exhausted dice token that is currently not exhausted. You will gain the points as shown on the tile itself. You will then gain points for the space you reached on the final exit track. The further down you go, the more points you will get. So you will want to end your final turn with a big number. Finally, you will lose one point for any space not covered on the main map. Most points wins! In the solo game, there is a point target to reach.

Is It Fun? Isla Board Game Review

The multiplayer game of Isla lacks a little something for me. If all players play the game similarly, then you will all mostly cover every space and exit at similar times. The exit first bonus is not enough for me to chase that down and race to the end. There will be some frustration when someone else takes a research card you wanted, but more come so frequently that you can just save your tokens and use them later. They are not different enough from each other to matter too much. So, it becomes a simple game of working out which is the best dice to use, efficiently make your way around the map, cover as many spaces as possible, and collect all the points you can. I find most games are pretty close, and the winner is never left with a feeling they did anything that clever compared to the loser. The threat cards offer some variety, but of course, it is completely random, and one player could be way more affected than another, and there is nothing they can do about it. It just doesn't work for me.

BUT! In solo mode, I adore this game. The tension created by the Keeper slowly making their way to you is wonderful. Made by the fact that their movement towards you is never as slow as you think! As they start quite a way from you, depending on which Keeper you choose to face, and they sometimes do not move at all or great distances, you may start the game thinking you have all the time in the world. But then, as you move north and they move south, your paths will quickly come a lot closer than you ever thought! And as you do not always get to control how far you move, and sometimes your choice of die can be quite restricted, getting away from them quickly when you need to can be tough.

I have had multiple solo games of Isla where I have been caught, due to my hubris telling me I had all the time in the world. Until BOOM! They got me. Or, I may get close to the Keeper and risk claiming just one more token by taking a path that goes way too close to the Keeper, knowing that only one of the four symbols drawn this round will let them catch you. And of course, that's the symbol you draw. But then plenty of solo games where things have worked out in my favour. It's a wonderfully tight, balanced, and enjoyable experience. The different Keepers all offer a different level of challenge too. So, as I become a little better with the game, I can change which Keeper I am up against, to still keep this balanced game.

The setup for this game takes a minute, tops. And the upkeep for the Keeper is seconds per round. As a solo experience, it is close to perfect. All the tension of the main game is there. The frustration and random nature of the Threat cards is removed. And the added pressure of the Keeper brings a lot more of an enjoyable and "I want to beat this game" mechanic to the table. In multiplayer, I want to try and beat my friends. And sometimes do. But I rarely feel I earned that. In the solo game, when I beat the Keeper and get a good score, I feel good about myself. As I face tougher Keepers, I am excited about the challenge. It is a near-perfect solo experience.

This is the reverse side of the map to use for a more challenging experience. It is a nice addition, and I enjoy using it. It does make the multiplayer experience a little better as the layout of this is a little more challenging.

You can play the multiplayer mode without the Threat cards, which is how I do it. Simply remove them from setup and final scoring. It takes away a lot of the randomness and frustration for me. You still have all the tension from choosing which die to pick, how far to move this time, and what route to take. But without the annoyance of being penalised for things out of your control, that may not happen to other players down to the luck of a roll.

And it is in those choices of which dice to pick where this game really excels. You still have this in the multiplier mode, but I find it comes alive in the solo experience. This is because in the solo game, not only are you trying to make your way around the map as efficiently as possible, but you are also trying to avoid capture from the Keeper. As the dice are all different, the choices are deliciously tight. You only want to take the dice when they are at the higher ends.

Why take a D12 when it rolls a three? But what if that is all you have left? If the D12 rolls a ten, that is now more tempting. But what if the D6 finally rolled its first six of the day? Should you take the six from the D6 now, knowing that it is at full efficiency? But what if the D12 doesn't roll that high again for a while. I will risk it... Roll again next turn - a 12 on the D12! It paid off.

These emotions pop in and out in the multiplayer mode, but will be with you throughout the solo mode. And I love it!

Finally, I want to make a note of the rule book. It is excellent. Clearly laid out. Great examples, images, and wording. And I really enjoy the little bits of lore created from the flavor text, dotted around the pages. It's one of the best I have seen in a while. Congratulations to all involved there. So, if you are looking for a new solo game that plays quickly, sets up and packs away in minutes, but offers you some tension and satisfaction, this could well be the one for you.